Meaning of Sanskritisation as a process of Social Change

1. D R A N I L B H A T T
D E P T O F S O C I O L O G Y
SANSKRITISATION

2. M.N.Srinivas
Born- 16th November 1916
Died- 30th November 1999
Education- PhD from University Bombay (now Mumbai)
Main Works-
 Religion and Society Among Coorgs (1952)
 Social Change in Modern India (1966)
 The Remembered Village (1972)
 Dimensions of Social Change in India (1977)
Awarded Padma Bhushan in 1977
Area of Work/Interest- Social Stratification and Caste System
Introduced the terms-Sanskritisation, Brahamanisation,Westernisation
Sanskritisation( Brahmins, Kshatriya, Vaishyas) is a broader term than
Brahmanisation ( Brahmins are the only reference groups for the lower
castes.

3. Definition
 M.N. Sriniwas (1962)- Sanskritisation is the process of
mobility of lower castes by adopting vegetarianism and
teetotalism to move in the caste hierarchy in a generation or
a two.
 M.N. Sriniwas (1971)- Sanskritisation is a process by which
a low caste or a tribe or other group changes its customs,
rituals ideology and way of life in the direction of a high and
frequently, twice born caste
 Daniel Lerner- Sanskritisation is a process of social change
whereby less developed societies acquire the characteristics
common to more developed societies. Lerner also terms this
process as Modernisation

4. Hindu Caste Structure
Brahmins-
Priests
Kshatriyas-
Warriors
Vaishya- Merchants,
Landowners
Shudras- Peasants, servants
Outcastes -Untouchables, sweepers,
Latrine cleaners

5. MODEL OF SANSKRITISATION
Sacred thread,
adopting code
of behaviour,
pilgrimages
Restrictions
on liquor,
meat,
Changing
Titles
Use of
Sanskrit
words and
Vedic chants
Celibacy of
widows, Change
in food habits,
Paap punya
maya moksha
karma
Cultural
Model
Emulating
Dwij
Castes
Fifth Caste
(Antyaj)
copying
shudras
Varna
Model
Influenced
by the
Local
Dominant
Castes
(Prabhu
Jati)
Enjoying the
economic and
Political
powers and
privileges
Local
Model

6. Characteristics
 Imitation to raise Social Status
 Related to the Lower castes
 It denotes upward mobility
 Ideology Borrowing Process
 Change in ideals – adopting new ideas norms and behaviour
patterns
 It results in positional (avastha) changes but not structural changes
 Sanskritisation not confined to castes but tribes too. Gonds, Oraon
of central Indi, Bhils of the West India. North East tribes etc
G. S.Ghurye-Indian Tribes are Backward Hindus
 Helpful in the social mobility of lower castes
 Sanskrtisation is not restricted to Brahmanisation
 The process of sanskritisation takes time- takes 2-3 generations
before their claim can be accepted
 The Process serves as a Reference Group
 Yogendra Singh has taken Sanskritization as anticipatory
Socialisation

7. Forms of Sanskritisation
Sanskritisation
Adopting the way of
life rituals, ideology,
customs of Upper
Castes/Class
Re- Sanskritisation
Adopting the forgotten
values and
customs(e.g.Returning
Back to traditional
culture)
De- Sanskritisation
Higher Caste Adopts the behavioural Patterns of
Lower castes
Eating Meat, Leather Business, Not wearing
Janeu, Drinking, Forgetting Reigious Sanskars etc

8. Factors of Sanskritisation
 Means of Transport, Media and Communication-The radio, the
cinema, the microphone, newspaper, religious journals have been
contributing to the popularization of Sanskritic values and
ideologies. Development of road and transportation in the areas
previously inaccessible accelerated the process of Sanskritisation.
The railways and other improved means of communication
enabled people to visit religious centres
 Education- Spread of literacy among the low caste groups made
Sanskritization feasible.
 Economic factor- Better economic conditions also facilitate
enhancement of the status of a caste in the local caste hierarchy.
 Urbanisation
 Social Reforms/ Movement-As a result of western education, socio-
religious movements like the Arya Samaj, the Brahma Samaj and
the Prathana Samaj came into being and which, in turn,
contributed much to the process of Sanskritisation.
 Big cities, temples and pilgrimages(tirth sthaan)- Every temple and
pilgrim centre also acts as a source of Sanskritization
 Constitutional and legal Provisions

9. Sanskritisation is process of social mobility
 M.N. Srinivas pointed in his studies towards change in accepted
notion of rigidity and unchanging nature of caste system.
Sanskritisation as a concept changed and addressed the actual
complexity and fluidity of caste system
 However the earlier reference of the word sanskritisation was
made in a paper presented by BR Ambedkar at an Anthropology
Seminar in Columbia University on 9th May 1916. The paper was
titled as “Castes in India: Their Mechanisms Genesis and
Development.”
 In 1965, the University of Chicago organized a seminar on ‘Social
Change in India’. It was attended by Srinivas himself and a number
of social anthropologists, such as Bernard S. Cohen, David G.
Mandelbaum, McKim Marriott, Owen M. Lynch, Milton Singer. All
these had rich experience of working in Indian villages.
Sanskritisation was discussed thoroughly in this conference

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